HDTV sales to surge in China, not due to Beijing Olympics

Couple the fact that the standard of living in China is set to rise substantially in the coming years with the perpetually dropping prices of flat-panel HDTVs, and it seems quite easy to see how some analysts are predicting huge HDTV sales in said nation this year. According to research firm DisplaySearch, LCD shipments to China are set to jump 70-percent this year to nearly 15 million units while plasma sales nearly double to over 1 million. Interestingly, the looming Beijing Olympics aren't being pinpointed as the main driver, or even a passenger, to be honest. For starters, the Chinese government canceled May Day holidays this year, "a major shopping season," and Lehman Brothers' James Kim even went so far as to note that the "Olympics can help sales, but it won't change the market fundamentals." If only they knew how fantastic the long-jump looked in 1080i...